New York Attorney General Letitia James is ramping up efforts to stop Texas from using New York courts to enforce its abortion ban. She’s facing off against Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, who secured a $113,000 judgment last year against New Paltz physician Dr. Margaret Carpenter, who provided legal telehealth abortion services. After the Ulster County clerk rejected Texas’s attempt to enforce the judgment under New York’s shield law, Texas sued the clerk, challenging the law’s constitutionality.
New York’s shield law, enacted in 2023 after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, protects in-state providers from out-of-state legal actions related to reproductive and gender-affirming care that is legal in New York.
Legal observers note that the case raises significant constitutional questions. The Full Faith and Credit Clause requires states to honor each other’s court judgments. However, exceptions exist when a judgment clashes with a state’s core public policy. Given the major legal implications, some experts believe this case could possibly reach the U.S. Supreme Court, especially if lower courts issue conflicting rulings or the case expands into broader challenges against shield laws.
Attorney General James has made reproductive rights a central focus of her office, pursuing multiple lawsuits to defend access to abortion care and challenge restrictions on abortion medication. In contrast, Texas AG Paxton has a hardline stance against abortion, advocating for strict enforcement of the state’s bans even beyond Texas’s borders.
The case now moves forward in court, where James will argue that Texas cannot compel New York’s courts to enforce its abortion laws.
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